Walnut Hill Road Being Paved Under ‘DIY’ County Cost Saving Program

October 25, 2014

One Walnut Hill road is being resurfaced under a cost-saving “do-it-yourself” Escambia County program.

About 3.1 miles of Rockaway Creek Road will be resurfaced from Pine Forest Road to Nokomis Road as part of Escambia County’s “Open Graded Cold Mix” maintenance program.

About 10-13 years ago, Escambia County used the “Open Grade Cold Mix” to pave then existing dirt roads. The process combined rocks with a liquid asphalt mix and applied it with a cold mix paving machine. The mix would undergo a chemical process which caused the mixture to set and harden.

“This program was very successful and greatly improved the quality of life for citizens in the rural areas of the county, while at the same time greatly reducing the County’s routine maintenance demands,” according to the county.

Now, the roads are swept of the loose rock and a “think hot mix overlay” is added to seal and surface the roadway. The work is performed by county maintenance crews at a significant savings versus contracting the work out.

The Rockaway Creek Road project is expected to be complete in the next few weeks at a cost of about $185,000.

Pictured: A portion of Rockaway Creek Road has already been resurfaced near Pine Forest Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

3 Responses to “Walnut Hill Road Being Paved Under ‘DIY’ County Cost Saving Program”

  1. jeeperman on October 27th, 2014 3:01 pm

    So this is the modern “cheap” way to pave?
    Use to be the road department would grade, spray with tar, shovel and spread crushed stone then roll it.
    Then do it again maybe twice or thrice (minus the grading).
    I think it was called a “built up” surface road.
    The men in orange jumpsuits could be doing that today.

  2. J. MADSION on October 27th, 2014 9:07 am

    It will now be and improved gravel road.

  3. 429SCJ on October 26th, 2014 8:14 am

    I remember when that was the dirt road from hell.

    We used to take this route in the 70s and early 80s, slipping back into Florida in the small hours, after frequenting the North Baldwin Social Club or Someplace Else.

    I would imagine that this route is still used today by those who wish to avoid interpersonal interaction, or just simply trying to make it home.